GreenlyGardening in Costa Rica: climate, frost dates and crops by region
None of the 5 cities of Costa Rica on this page had frost in 2016–2025, so gardens there follow warmth and rain rather than frost dates. The warmest month averages 34.9 °C by day in Liberia and 23.2 °C in San José.
Climate zones of Costa Rica
By the days between the last spring frost and the first autumn frost.
| Zone | Cities | Frost-free days | Last spring frost | First autumn frost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No frost in ten years | Liberia, Limón, Puntarenas, San José, San Isidro de El General | — | — | — |
How the regions of Costa Rica differ
The gap between the warmest month’s days and the coldest month’s nights is widest in Liberia (12.8 °C) and smallest in Limón (7.3 °C): the smaller it is, the milder both winter and summer. San Isidro de El General is the wettest of these cities with 6,926 mm a year, Liberia the driest with 2,628 mm.
Which crops suit which part of Costa Rica
Cities without a spring frost: months that suit each crop
Months whose average day is not above the highest temperature on the plant card and whose average night is not below its lowest.
| City | Tomato | Cucumber | Bell Pepper | Eggplant | Watermelon |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberia | none | all year | June and September–November | October | all year |
| Limón | none | all year | all year | June–August and October–April | all year |
| Puntarenas | none | all year | May–December | June–November | all year |
| San José | May–August | none | April–December | none | none |
| San Isidro de El General | all year | none | all year | none | none |
Cities of Costa Rica: weather in numbers
| City | Frost-free days | Warmest month, day | Coldest month, night | Rain a year | Driest month | Places to buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberia | no frost | April, 34.9 °C | December, 22.1 °C | 2,628 mm | February | 5 |
| Limón | no frost | September, 29.2 °C | January, 21.9 °C | 4,106 mm | March | 3 |
| Puntarenas | no frost | March, 33.1 °C | December, 22.3 °C | 4,698 mm | February | 4 |
| San José | no frost | May, 23.2 °C | February, 14.3 °C | 4,125 mm | February | 45 |
| San Isidro de El General | no frost | March, 24.5 °C | January, 16.3 °C | 6,926 mm | February | 12 |
ERA5 2016–2025 via Open-Meteo, 25 km grid cell of each city; dates by the Greenly calendar and the plant cards.
